Men's Scratch Race, 20 kms:

Michael Rogers took the first track gold for Australia in the opening night
of racing by defeating four other riders in the sprint.
He came past Shaun Wallace (England) on the outside to narrowly take the
win with Wallace second, Tim Carswell (NZ) third and Brian Walton (Canada) fourth.
The four riders had attacked together after only 10 kms and lapped the
peloton very soon after that. Stephen Pate and Brett Lancaster, Australia's
other riders were in the main bunch at the end.

Defending champion Stuart O'Grady, who Charlie Walsh (Australian Coach) had
indicated would ride the race, was ruled unfit due to the injury he sustained
in the fall during the road ITT.

Rogers, has twice won junior world track championships, will now ride in the
teams pursuit squad and in the 40kms points score.

Women's 3000m Pursuit:

Sarah Ulmer (NZ) beat Australian Lucy Tyler-Sharman in the first semi-final and
controversy followed. In the other semi-final, Alayna Burns (18), who is looking
to become a really great Australian rider, beat England's Yvonne McGregor. The final
is now between Ulmer and Burns.

Lucy Tyler-Sharman, who recently took the World Championship in this event, attacked
the Australian team officials after the event. Since her outburst before
the Worlds, things have been simmering but quiet. No longer. She was
angry with the team for forcing her to have Charlie Walsh at the track side
giving her instructions during the race. The day started badly for her
because she was sick (dehydration) but still managed to qualify second
fastest (Alayna Burns was the quickest). Then she pulled her foot at the start
of her semi-final against Sarah Ulmer. And then it started.

She gave the TV interview a real dose and Michael Flynn, so-called
Australian team manager, then took her away out of site, because Michael
Rogers was just about to be awarded gold. Funny, Australian cycling
usually likes to air its dirty linen for all to see!

The allegations from Tyler-Sharman ranged from having to put up with
Walsh's proximity to a conspiracy theory about her pedals.

Roger Vaughan, AAP's cycling journalist reported her comments:
"Nothing has gone to plan since I came here. First of all they insisted -
insisted - I have a head coach ordering me during the ride who wasn't my
head coach. They informed me of that last night and wouldn't let me out of it."

On the pedal sabatoge: "When I went for my first ride this morning they
insisted I changed my pedals. Then, bolted in as I was on the line, they
both failed. I pulled out of one pedal on the line ... and someone yelled put your
foot back in, so I went, and then I pulled out another foot in the
course of the ride."

Australia beat Wales inthe semi-final, nearly catching them soon after the 2000 metre mark.
They cruised for the rest of the race and finished in 4.19.905 to Wales 4.27.930.
England beat New Zealand in the other semi-final.